1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to hopper discharge units of the rack and pinion actuated sliding gate type.
2. The Prior Art
The prior rack and pinion operated hopper gates, as exemplified in G. B. Dorey U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,899 have the rack formed on or attached to the bottom of the gate and the operating shaft and pinion are necessarily located below the gate. H. H. Pase U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,204 discloses the operating shaft above the gate plate, but with the racks formed on angle irons outboard of the side frames. The operating shaft capstans are frequenly formed with four bar-receiving holes positioned 90 degrees apart so that an operating bar can be inserted in only two positions, i.e., at right angles to each other.